Bridlington Urged to Back Petition Calling for Justice Reform for Child Victims Under 16

Saturday 5th September 2026

By Bridlington Gold Radio Editor

A Scarborough mother has reached out to the Bridlington community for support as she launches a heartfelt campaign calling on Parliament to review and reform statutory time limits that can prevent child victims under the age of 16 from accessing justice.

Bryony Lawton began her campaign following a deeply personal experience involving her daughter. Through the process, she says she was shocked to discover how legal classifications and strict time limits can affect what happens when a child is a victim of abuse, assault, neglect or other offences.

“Should children lose access to justice because of circumstances beyond their control? I don’t believe they should,” Bryony said.

Her campaign, Children Shouldn’t Be Time‑Barred, aims to raise awareness, encourage discussion, and push for a parliamentary review of laws that may leave young victims without protection or recourse.

Although the campaign began with her own family’s experience, Bryony stresses that it is not about one child or one case, but about ensuring every child has the right to be heard, protected and treated fairly.

The campaign highlights that many offences against children currently have strict prosecution time limits — in some cases as short as six months. Children may delay disclosure due to fear, trauma, coercion or family pressures, while safeguarding investigations can take months to complete. Although Parliament has extended time limits for certain domestic abuse cases, victims under 16 may not benefit from the same protections.

Bryony’s petition calls for a full review of these laws, asking the Government to consider extending or removing time limits where delayed disclosure or safeguarding processes may prevent prosecutions.

“Even a simple share helps raise awareness,” Bryony added. “Every child deserves to be heard. Every child deserves protection. Every child deserves a fair opportunity for justice.”

Bryony is encouraging Bridlington residents to follow the campaign page, share posts, and invite friends and family to help raise awareness. The petition — Reform statutory time limits for all offences involving child victims under 16 — is open until 1 January 2027.

📍 Sign the petition: UK Parliament Petition – Children Shouldn’t Be Time‑Barred